Written Answers Thursday 5 August 2010

Scottish Executive

Ambulance Service

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the vacancy (a) rates and (b) numbers for ambulance staff in the Scottish Ambulance Service, broken down by grade and Regional Operational Division in each of the last six years.

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hoax calls the Scottish Ambulance Service received in the last 12 months for which figures are available, broken down by Regional Operational Division.

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated maximum number of casualties the East Central Regional Operational Division of the Scottish Ambulance Service could cope with in one incident is; what assessment it has made of additional resources that might be required to meet any major incident, and where those resources would come from.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally.

Ambulance Service

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ambulance staff have been employed by the Scottish Ambulance Service, broken down by grade and Regional Operational Division in each of the last six years.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Workforce data is published by National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland annually, as at 30 September. Data on ambulance staff in post for 2007-09 can be found at:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=All%20other%20staff%202009.xls&pContentDispositionType=attachment

  Select Scottish Ambulance Service from the pull down list.

  Prior to 2007 NHS Workforce Information was published based on the Whitley pay structure. For this reason it is not possible to compare the Whitley staff in post information to Agenda for Change bandings (post 2007).

  Headcount figures for ambulance staff (excluding Ambulance and control officers) from 1996-2006 can be found at:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=WFF02_HB_REG.xls&pContentDispositionType=attachment.

  Whole-time equivalent figures for the same period can be found at:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=WFF01_HB_REG.xls&pContentDispositionType=attachment.

  Information on headcount of Ambulance and Control Officers for the years 1999 to 2006 is available at:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=WFG02_HB_REG.xls&pContentDispositionType=attachment.

  Whole-time equivalent information for the same period is available at:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=WFG01_HB_REG.xls&pContentDispositionType=attachment.

  Workforce data for Scottish Ambulance Service for 2006 is not shown in the above links due to discrepancies.

Ambulance Service

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost per head of (a) emergency and (b) non-emergency ambulance services in the East Central Regional Operational Division of the Scottish Ambulance Service was in the last year.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held in the format sought, however a range of information relating to the cost of ambulance activity is published annually in the ISD Scotland Cost Book. This information can be found at:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/costs-overview.jsp?pContentID=3726&p_applic=CCC&p_service=Content.show&.

Ambulance Service

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time taken for the East Central Regional Operational Division of the Scottish Ambulance Service to respond to calls was for the latest year for which figures are available, and what the equivalent figures were for the previous three years.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held in the format sought, however I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34252 on 10 June 2010 and to the answer to question S3W-29061 on 1 December 2009 which provide details of average response times broken down by territorial board area.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Ambulance Service

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether responsibility to provide ambulances to return patients from hospital to their homes lies with the ambulance service nearest to where the hospital is located or where the patient lives.

Nicola Sturgeon: While the Scottish Ambulance Service is structured into operating divisions for management purposes it is a national Special Health Board that serves all of Scotland. Where a patient requires transport to return from hospital it can be in a vehicle usually based in the patient’s own locality or a vehicle from elsewhere. This depends on the scheduling and availability of the required, and most appropriate, resource.

Ambulance Service

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients requiring ambulances to return from Edinburgh hospitals to Fife were provided with them by the (a) East Central and (b) South East Division of the Scottish Ambulance Service in the last year for which information is available.

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what average time was taken by Scottish Ambulance Service ambulances to admit emergency patients to hospital accident and emergency departments in each quarter of the last two years, broken down by NHS board.

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish Ambulance Service ambulance hours were lost as a result of delays in admitting a patient to an accident and emergency department in each NHS board area in each of the last two years.

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of emergency calls from (a) Dalgety Bay, (b) Cowdenbeath, (c) Lochgelly, (d) Inverkeithing, (e) North Queensferry, (f) Cardenden, (g) Crossgates, (h) Kelty and (i) Ballingry received a response from the Scottish Ambulance Service within the target time in each of the last two years.

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average number was of (a) emergency and (b) non-emergency calls handled by the Scottish Ambulance Service in (i) Fife, (ii) Lothian and (iii) Forth Valley in each of the last two years and what the figures are for the last 12 months expressed per 1,000 of population.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the Scottish Ambulance Service response times are for each ambulance station and how many of these were first attended by (a) a British Association for Immediate Care (BASICS) GP, (b) a single-crewed ambulance, (c) an ambulance crewed by two technicians and (d) an ambulance crewed by a paramedic and a technician.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally.

Central Heating

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what areas will be covered by the second phase of the Home Insulation Scheme.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government’s approach to delivery of phase two of the Home Insulation Scheme (HIS) in 2010-11 was agreed with COSLA. We are working to agree the detail of final schemes for those local authorities which bid unsuccessfully in 2009-10, and have also given those authorities which chose not to bid in 2009-10 a further opportunity to do so. As a result we have been considering these bids for inclusion in the second phase of HIS and shall announce the outcome when we have completed this process.

Central Heating

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households will be targeted during the second phase of the Home Insulation Scheme.

Alex Neil: We estimate that the £15 million of Scottish Government funding available to deliver the second phase of the Home Insulation Scheme in 2010-11 will allow us to target around 200,000 households throughout Scotland. A more precise figure will be available when all bids have been considered and final decisions taken.

Child Poverty

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what organisations it is consulting in preparing the child poverty strategy.

Alex Neil: In preparing the Scottish child poverty strategy, Scottish Government intend to consult with a wide range of stakeholders, these include, but are not limited to: local authorities and associations of local authorities, children and organisations working with or representing children; parents and organisations working with or representing parents. Early development of the strategy has already been informed by regular contact with stakeholders, in particular with COSLA and the End Child Poverty coalition in Scotland.

  Scottish Government will be consulting more widely from autumn 2010. A consultation event to feed into the formation of the strategy will take place on 29 September, as part of the Holyrood Tackling Poverty in Scotland conference. A formal public consultation will be launched later in the autumn, and will be accompanied with further consultation activities which are still in the process of being developed.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to provide opportunities for parents to get involved in services as volunteer helpers or in similar roles.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402)

  It is for local partners in community planning partnerships to develop models tailored to meet local needs. We are however providing support to the national third sector parenting organisations.

  In addition, as part of our duty to promote parental involvement in children’s learning, we have highlighted and shared practice on how to involve parents and we are working with partners to support parents to reinforce the importance of family learning.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to support grandparents and informal carers who spend significant amounts of time on care of children.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402)

  It is for local partners in community planning partnerships (CPPs) to develop models tailored to meet local needs and the Scottish Government is not prescribing local action. We are however providing support to the national third sector parenting organisations and others to develop parenting capacity and support carers to improve outcomes for children. Many of the locally organised informal support networks such as baby and toddler groups will also be available to grandparents and others.

  Those providing care to children with disabilities will benefit from the implementation of many of the action points contained in the Scottish Government’s new carers and young carers strategy. Again, CPPs have an important contribution to make.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to develop with partners a co-ordinated approach to early years, health inequalities and poverty at national and local level.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402)

  The early years framework is one of the three key social policy frameworks alongside Equally Well, the health inequalities framework and Achieving our Potential, the antipoverty framework, created jointly by the Scottish Government and COSLA, supported by the NHS, other public sector organisations and the third and private sectors. Taken together, the three frameworks form a coherent and long term approach to addressing disadvantage in Scotland and breaking the intergenerational cycle of inequalities. The child centred and multi agency approach in Getting it right for every child is the mechanism by which support for children is to be delivered.

  Single outcome agreements (SOAs) are the mechanism in the relationship between national and local partners through which shared priorities are progressed. The three social policy frameworks are agreed priorities for all community planning partnerships (CPPs) and as such will be reflected within their SOA. It is for local partners in CPPs to develop models tailored to meet local needs, but Scottish Ministers and officials are closely engaged with CPPs to provide support.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to develop a renewed focus on services from pregnancy through to age three.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402)

  Effective local implementation of the Early Years Framework is the key to achieving the changes we want to see and the Scottish Government is ensuring that community planning partnerships (CPPs) are aware of the wide range of evidence that highlights the importance of the very early years of life.

  The Maternity Services Action Group’s working group on ante-natal inequalities is developing evidence into action guidance for NHS boards in response to recommendation 4 of Equally Well.

  In addition, the refreshed framework for maternity services, which we expect to issue in spring 2011, is focussing on strengthening the contribution of maternity services both in the quality of the care and support provided by maternity services – ensuring it is person centred, safe and effective and the contribution of maternity services as partners with other public services, including the third sector.

  NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and NHS Education for Scotland are developing a national syllabus for ante-natal education, which will allow for a consistent approach to antenatal parenting support across Scotland.

  The Scottish Government launched the family nurse partnership programme, in January 2010. There is one site, consisting of six nurses and one supervisor in Edinburgh City, which is aiming to support 150 first-time teenage mothers. We are testing this model in Scotland, and the outcomes will be evaluated across the three years the programme is in place. The three key aims are "to improve maternal health", "to improve child health and wellbeing", and "to improve economic self-sufficiency of the family."

  We have undertaken a refresh of Health for All Children (Hall 4) which sets out the programme for screening, surveillance and health promotion contacts which every child can expect to receive. We have consulted on proposals to make the guidance more robust, particularly concerning the allocation of the health plan indicator (which determines the programme of contacts the child and family receive, depending on their assessed need), the use of the Getting it right for every child practice model for use as a tool for assessing the needs of children and families, re-emphasising health promotion as part of universal services and the re-introduction of a universal 24 to 30 month review. The consultation process is still ongoing and further guidance on Hall 4 will be issued in autumn 2010.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to ensure that services such as housing, substance misuse treatment and development planning recognise and promote the needs of children.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402)

  Through the community planning partnerships and children’s services planning processes, local partnerships are able to take a co-ordinated and integrated approach to meeting the needs in local communities, including the needs of children.

  Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) provides the methodology which should underpin delivery of all services for children and young people. Under the GIRFEC approach, children with additional support needs will be identified in universal services and assessed using the national practice model.

  The use of the GIRFEC approach will provide a comprehensive needs assessment and planning process to which all agencies will adhere, bringing in specialist assessment and help where necessary. Our delivery framework for substance misuse services includes specific action to support children affected by parental substance misuse.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to ensure more consistent access to intensive family support for those who need it.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  It is for local partners to plan, design and deliver services to meet the needs of families. Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) provides the methodology which should underpin the delivery of all services for children and young people. Experience has shown that taking a GIRFEC approach can strengthen the collective voice of the team around the child, and places the views, wishes and opinions of the child and family firmly at the centre of planning and decision making.

  GIRFEC delivers a stronger and co-ordinated teamwork approach for children, especially for those with complex needs, and identifies and involves all agencies who can meet the assessed need. It not only considers immediate needs, but also takes a long term view of how children and their families can be supported through any difficulties, including life threatening and enduring conditions.

  We are providing support to a number of specific initiatives including the family nurse partnership, the development of care pathways for vulnerable families being developed by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. The Scottish Government has also supported child protection research that considered types of parenting interventions and the effects on children, where substance misuse is a factor. The Scottish Child Care and Protection Network published a report earlier this year which helps to establish an overview of effective parental interventions for local practitioners’ use.

  We also continue to work with initiatives such as the Lloyds TSB partnership drugs initiative, and the projects that it supports, which are critically important in improving the day to day lives of many of the children and families within our communities specifically affected by adult substance misuse issues.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to ensure that sexual health advice and services are integrated into services for high-risk groups such as substance misusers and looked-after children and that accessible drop-in sexual health services are provided for teenagers.

Mr Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402)

  In line with Scotland’s sexual health strategy Respect and Responsibility and National Outcomes 2008-11, NHS boards and local authorities are required to work together to improve the sexual health of young people and to reduce teenage pregnancy. This includes the provision of accessible drop-in services offering general health advice, chlamydia testing, pregnancy testing and condoms, in or within walking distance from every secondary school in Scotland. We are working with NHS boards and local authorities to achieve that.

  In addition, we are working with local authorities and the Scottish Prison Service who are required to prioritise the provision of sex and relationships education and one to one support for vulnerable young people, included looked-after or accommodated children.

  NHS Quality Improvement Standards (QIS) for sexual health have been developed and Standard 3 is that NHS boards should ensure the development and delivery of integrated approaches to sexual health improvement, particularly in relation to young people. Criteria include the demonstration of delivery of targeted interventions for young people at greatest risk of teenage pregnancy and poor sexual health, including looked after children. NHS boards will be subject to QIS assessment shortly.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to develop a common values statement for the early years workforce.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework, aside from piloting early years courses at the universities of Aberdeen and Stirling, to ensure that its values are embedded in initial training, induction, continuing professional development, professional standards and service culture.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402)

  The values required by the Early Years Framework are enshrined within the Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) values and principles. These values and principles are currently being embedded across Scotland, particularly in the GIRFEC pathfinder areas where the values have influenced areas such as multi-agency training and service cultures.

  We will re-launch these values alongside the common core of skills once that is developed.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to ensure that NHS Education Scotland takes forward new educational developments for roles in the children and young people’s workforce at Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) levels 7 and 8.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken with NHS Education for Scotland since the publication of the Early Years Framework to ensure that joint roles across health, education and social services can be developed.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  In 2009, NHS Education for Scotland commissioned Robert Gordon University to develop and deliver a new course at SCQF levels 7 and 8. The Scottish Government is a member of the steering group overseeing the developments. The course focuses on children’s health and wellbeing. It is partly based on the standard in childhood practice, a social services standard, and is also attracting interest from some assistants based in schools, who have undertaken the course alongside their healthcare colleagues. This course is suitable for workers in health and education settings and could lead to more flexibility in job roles in the future.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework, aside from piloting early years courses at the universities of Aberdeen and Stirling, to ensure that there is a focus on engagement skills for all early years practitioners.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to develop a strategic view of where workers with broader skills can add value to early years services.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to study the characteristics of successful early years workforce models in other countries and what action it has taken on the findings.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  The Scottish Government is committed to improving the skills of the early years workforce to ensure that every child has the best start in life. In addition to the support we have given for early years courses at the universities of Aberdeen and Stirling, we are also providing start up funding to Strathclyde University to develop a post graduate certificate in early years due to start this summer. We are also supporting the development of a DVD resource to support and inform practice for all early years practitioners working with our youngest children aged between 0 and three. This CPD resource includes updated guidance on practitioner engagement with very young children.

  The Scottish Government asked Children in Scotland to lead the debate about what we can learn from workforce models in other countries, including how they engage their children, young people and families. In June 2010 we organised a workforce conference to share the findings and stimulate local interest and action.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to commission NHS Quality Improvement Scotland to develop integrated care pathways for antenatal, maternity and postnatal care.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  The vulnerable families pathway, based on the principles of Getting it Right for Every Child, will support maternity services staff and others to meet the needs of women and babies with multiple and complex health and social care needs. The consultation process in respect of the pathway has now finished and next steps are currently being discussed.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to ensure that local partners develop capacity to meet a range of health and wider social needs in maternity support services.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  The Maternity Services Action Group’s working group on ante-natal inequalities is developing evidence into action guidance for NHS boards in response to recommendation 4 of Equally Well.

  In addition, the refreshed framework for maternity services, which we expect to issue in spring 2011, is focussing on strengthening the contribution of maternity services both in the quality of the care and support provided by maternity services ensuring it is person centred, safe and effective and the contribution of maternity services as partners with other public services, including the third sector.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to work with local partners to implement concordat commitments that increase the capacity of (a) nurseries and (b) the early stages of primary.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  National and local government continue to work closely together to take forward a range of policy priorities, including the commitments in the concordat.

  Entitlement to free pre-school education has been increased to 475 hours per annum and we continue to work with COSLA and the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland on further expansion. Over 3,600 more children had access to teachers in pre-school settings in 2008-09 than in the previous year.

  Working in partnership with local government and Learning and Teaching Scotland, we have embedded the Curriculum for Excellence in pre-school and primary settings, including provision of new materials for practitioners and parents.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it took following the publication of the Early Years Framework to ensure that the Care Commission develop early intervention as an inspection focus for daycare of children services in 2009-10.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  The Care Commission agreed with the Scottish Government that during 2009-10, they would look at how regulated services support children’s development and learning by involving parents and carers. To that end, Care Commission officers advised all early years day care providers of this and sampled these services to gauge the extent to which parents and carers were being involved. This was also explained to providers at a seminar "Implementing the Early Years Framework: Delivering a Strategy for Effective Intervention" which was held in Edinburgh in May 2009 and chaired by the Care Commission’s chief executive.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to ensure that HM Inspectorate of Education include early intervention and good practice as part of its report on aspects of the early years framework.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) undertook in 2008-09 to gather information on the implementation of the Early Years Framework from their inspections. In October 2009, the report Positive Start, Positive Outcomes was published on the HMIE website. It outlined the importance of partnership working and gave details of key issues facing those involved in implementing the framework. It also included a range of case studies exemplifying how the framework was being delivered across services and communities in Scotland. HMIE continue to monitor the Early Years Framework through their inspection programme, and to share good practice.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to establish an enhanced programme of antenatal and postnatal support that meets a range of medical and social needs based on a parental capacity-building model with the health of parents at the core.

Adam Ingram: I refer the member to the answer to questions S3W-35221 and S3W-35231 on 5 August 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to ensure enhanced early intervention, particularly in areas such as communication, literacy and numeracy.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  Raising literacy and numeracy standards is central to Curriculum for Excellence, the curriculum framework for learners three to 18. It will drive forward improvements in teaching and learning to ensure our young people have the literacy and numeracy skills they need for learning, life and work. All practitioners have a responsibility to promote the development of these skills, including in the early years. HM Inspectorate of Education evaluate and report on early language and mathematics in every inspection in pre-school centres.

  We will publish a literacy action plan in the autumn, bringing together work to improve literacy standards from across government, and also work being taken forward by our partners. It will address the continuum of learning, from the early years through to adult learning.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to ensure that the best use is made of universal services to better meet the needs of vulnerable children and families.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402)

  Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) is the national approach to helping children and young people in Scotland. The approach helps families and professionals to work better together with children and young people, and gives children and families more say in the help that they get.

  The GIRFEC approach delivers a stronger and co-ordinated teamwork approach for children, especially for those with complex needs, and identifies and involves all agencies who can meet the assessed need. It not only considers immediate needs, but also takes a long term view of how children and their families can be supported through any difficulties, including life threatening and enduring conditions.

  Where the plan is multi-agency a lead professional will be agreed to be the first point of contact with the child and family and to co-ordinate the actions set out in the plan. They will also liaise regularly with all the partners to the plan.

  We have undertaken a refresh of Health for All Children (Hall 4) which sets out the programme for screening, surveillance and health promotion contacts which every child can expect to receive. We have consulted on proposals to make the guidance more robust, particularly concerning the allocation of the health plan indicator, which determines the programme of contacts the child and family receive, depending on their assessed need; the use of the GIRFEC practice model for use as a tool for assessing the needs of children and families; re-emphasising health promotion as part of universal services; and the re-introduction of a universal 24 to 30 month review. The consultation process is still ongoing and further guidance on Hall 4 will be issued in autumn 2010.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to equip all young people to make positive choices about pregnancy and parenthood.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  Education has a key role to play in ensuring that young people make informed choices about sexual relationships and reducing unintended pregnancies. With the full introduction of Curriculum for Excellence from August 2010, children and young people will learn, as part of a broad health and wellbeing curriculum strand, about relationships, sexual health and parenthood.

  Reducing unintended teenage pregnancies in girls under 16 is a key aim of Respect and Responsibility, Scotland’s sexual health strategy, which promotes the values of mature loving relationships, founded on self respect and respect for others. A total of £15 million over three years until March 2011 has been provided to NHS boards to support the implementation of the strategy.

  With the publication of the Sexual Health Outcomes in 2008, NHS boards and their partners have been working closely together in order to address the wider cultural factors that affect sexual health and wellbeing.

  In addition, guidance was issued by Learning Teaching Scotland in March 2010 which seeks to support local authorities, NHS boards and other agencies to reduce teenage pregnancies. Annual statistics, published in June, saw a reduction in the teenage pregnancy rate. That, combined with the recent decrease in the abortion rate, is encouraging.

  There is now growing evidence to support intervention in early years to improve sexual health outcomes, and we will taking this into account as we update our sexual health strategy and national outcomes, which come to an end in March 2011. We will also be looking at other opportunities to include sexual health advice and interventions in acute and other healthcare settings.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to commission an analysis of skills and skills gaps across the different professions in early years services.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what reflections it has made since the publication of the Early Years Framework on the priority areas in local early years continuing professional development and training programmes and what action has been taken as a result.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402)

  The Scottish Government has commissioned the University of Strathclyde to undertake a functional analysis across the children’s workforce. This is the first step in both helping the sector work together to identify the core skills everyone should have when working with children and allowing it to identify and fill skills gaps.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to use a common values statement and an analysis of skills and gaps to identify the core skills needed to deliver the Early Years Framework and Getting it Right for Every Child.

Adam Ingram: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35225 and S3W-35240 on 5 August 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to continue to promote uptake of the UK childcare vouchers scheme by employers and employees.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  The Early Years Framework committed the Scottish Government to promoting childcare vouchers among employers in Scotland. From January to June 2009, the Scottish Government ran a project to promote greater use of childcare vouchers among Scottish employers in the public, private and voluntary sectors with the report now available on the Scottish Government website. This has successfully raised the profile of childcare vouchers through individual contacts and working with the Scottish Trades Union Congress.

  More recently, the Scottish Government pressed the former UK administration to drop plans to make potentially damaging changes to the tax incentives for childcare vouchers. We will continue efforts with the UK Government to create a single, progressive and more accessible means of supporting childcare costs through tax credits and childcare vouchers. Responsibility for these are reserved to the UK Government.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to develop a strategic view of childcare accessibility.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to identify how to address gaps in childcare accessibility.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  This is a medium term action in the framework and we will take it forward with COSLA and local partners in due course.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to (a) develop and (b) market a single gateway to a range of advice and information for children and families.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  The Scottish Government is working with local authority partners to further develop www.scottishchildcare.gov.uk into a family information service.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to develop local play and green space policies and improve play opportunities.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  The Scottish Government launched a two year "Go Play" Fund in 2009, a £4 million play programme to be managed and administered by Inspiring Scotland. This will help to provide the basis for a sustainable and active play sector in Scotland. The focus is on "free play" for five to 13 year olds as it is critical that we not only support our youngest children but also our older children. With Inspiring Scotland’s experience, Go Play will be able to support the play sector to create a more robust infrastructure across Scotland and ensure we can support and strengthen play services in the areas of greatest need.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to promote positive environments for children and families through (a) planning, (b) regeneration and (c) transport policies.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  Through the community planning partnerships and children’s services planning processes, local partnerships are able to take a co-ordinated and integrated approach to meeting the needs in local communities, including the needs of children.

  Getting it Right for Every Child provides the approach which should underpin the delivery of all services for children and young people.

  Scottish planning policy encourages the provision of play space and other opportunities for children and young people to play freely, explore, discover and initiate their own activities to support their development. Local authorities are encouraged to carry out audits and prepare strategies about the open space in their area and to consider the creation of green networks which can help encourage more active travel and healthier lifestyles. The "Designing Streets" planning policy encourages the creation of environments which, through an emphasis on safe, walkable neighbourhoods, public green and hard spaces, the control of traffic and the consideration of pedestrians before cars, offers increased opportunity for children to engage in healthy exercise and play.

  Our joint statement with COSLA "Equal Communities in a Fairer Scotland" in October 2009, signals the need for local authorities and their community planning partners to use the combined power of mainstream resources to tackle poverty in our most deprived communities. In doing so community planning partnerships are also expected to complement the key aims of the three linked social frameworks, including the Early Years Framework.

  Scottish Government investment in active travel for schools has resulted in over 80% of schools working on or developing a travel plan for pupils and staff. Funding through Sustrans has provided safe routes to schools for those who wish to walk and cycle and for secure cycle parking.

  In addition, the cycling action plan for Scotland was published in June 2010 and will promote cycle training for school children, starting in Primary 3.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to ensure that nurseries and schools support outdoor learning and outdoor play.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  The Scottish Government is keen to see all our children and young people having positive learning experiences in a variety of settings and has invested in the production and promotion of guidance to support opportunities presented by the new school curriculum for learning in the outdoors. The guidance makes clear that the outdoor environment offers motivating, exciting, different, relevant and easily accessible activities from pre-school years through to college. A series of six regional events were held throughout Scotland in May and June 2010 to raise awareness of the new guidance Curriculum for Excellence through Outdoor Learning and the supporting online resource to re-emphasise the Scottish Government’s commitment for all children and young people to participate in a range of creative, sustainable and progressive outdoor learning experiences.

  We have invested in the production and promotion of guidance and an online resource to support everyone in the learning community to pursue the opportunities presented by Curriculum for Excellence to provide creative, sustainable and progressive outdoor learning experiences for all children and young people. HM Inspectorate of Education pay particular attention on every inspection of pre-school centres to the quality of outdoor learning through play.

  We also provided over £400,000 in 2009-10 through various Government initiatives to promote outdoor learning. These include the Forestry Commission’s education programme including forest schools; the National Trust for Scotland for visits to Bannockburn, Culloden and Robert Burns’ Birthplace; visits to Historic Scotland properties and through Scottish Natural Heritage support for grounds for learning. Funding will continue in 2010-11, when there will be additional visits to New Lanark, to the National Trust and Historic Scotland properties and funding to the Royal Highland Education Trust to encourage school trips to farms.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to ensure that community planning partners commission a locally developed plan and change programme for providing a more co-ordinated set of supports for children and families, building on integrated children’s services planning.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many community planning partners have commissioned a locally developed plan and change programme for providing more co-ordinated sets of supports for children and families.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  Single outcome agreements (SOAs) are the mechanism in the relationship between national and local partners through which shared priorities are agreed and progressed. Each community planning partnership (CPP) is expected to reflect high level, strategic progress on the early years framework within their SOA. Each local authority has a statutory obligation to produce an integrated children’s services plan and this is to be seen as an integral part of the wider community plan.

  It is for local partners in CPPs to develop models tailored to meet local needs, but Scottish Ministers and officials are closely engaged with CPPs to provide support. The Getting it Right for Every Child methodology facilitates an integrated and co-ordinated approach to the delivery of children’s services.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to develop clear strategic leadership for 0 to 3 years services.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  Effective local implementation of the Early Years Framework is the key to achieving the changes we want to see and the Scottish Government is ensuring that Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) are aware of the wide range of evidence that highlights the importance of the very early years of life.

  The Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) approach, which should underpin the delivery of services for children and young people, makes clear the need for a lead professional to co-ordinate the services and support for individual children.

Early Years Framework

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to ensure local reviews of partnership arrangements to align them with outcomes and start developing longer term and more strategic partnerships.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the publication of the Early Years Framework to develop models of early years service delivery that combine public sector and partners working alongside each other to common objectives.

Adam Ingram: Please refer to the information note on implementation of the Early Years Framework, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51402).

  The Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) approach and methodology facilitate and support local reviews of partnership arrangements, including private and voluntary sector partners, intended to lead to improved outcomes for all children and young people. The Scottish Government continues to provide support to local partners in taking forward implementation of GIRFEC, including by the development of an implementation guide, with specific summaries for different groups of staff and the sharing of the learning from the pathfinders in Highland, Lanarkshire and elsewhere.

  In addition, the Scottish Government is working with the Improvement Service to build capacity in Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) to support them in the delivery of the National Outcomes.

Emergency Services

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many 999 calls were made between 20 December 2007 and 1 January 2010 where it was decided that an ambulance was not necessary, and what proportion of calls over this period these represented, broken down by Regional Operational Division.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally.

Fuel Poverty

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34230 by Alex Neil on 16 June 2010, when it expects to receive the report and recommendations from the Fuel Poverty Forum following the review of the first year of the Energy Assistance Package.

Alex Neil: The Fuel Poverty Forum published its report on 16 July. This is available at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/access/FP/FPFFirstAnnualReport.

Fuel Poverty

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34230 by Alex Neil on 16 June 2010, whether it will clarify what progress has been made in discussions with the energy companies to maximise the impact of the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target expenditure.

Alex Neil: The next meeting of the CERT Strategy Group will be arranged shortly.

  We have established a CERT Data Group, to take forward a commitment from energy suppliers to gather annual data for Scottish CERT activity and provide it to the Scottish Government.

  I have recently met with one national energy company and the future of CERT and the CERT Data group was discussed.

  We are also engaging with the UK Government on the forthcoming UK Energy Bill, in particular to work towards ensuring that Green Deal Financing or alternatives to this can be delivered in Scotland. An official from the Scottish Government’s Energy Efficiency Unit is currently working part time at Westminster in the Department for Energy and Climate Change with the team designing the new schemes, including any future energy company obligation, with the aim of ensuring that Scottish specific considerations are built into the design of the schemes from the outset.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many emergency inpatient bed days there have been for people aged 65 and over in each year since 2004-05.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is given in the following table:

  Table 1: Number of Emergency Admission Bed Days for Patients aged 65 and Over

  

Year
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


Emergency Admission bed days for patients aged 65+
2,811,417
2,830,625
2,885,894
2,857,316
2,920,138



  This information is published regularly by the NHS Information Services Division and can be found on their website at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/3838.html. The 2009-10 data will be published on 28 September 2010.

Homelessness

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £500,000 Scottish Housing Options funding will be allocated.

Alex Neil: The Housing Options funding will be allocated via "hubs" of local authorities who will work together, and with others, to progress locally agreed priorities. Each hub will produce an action plan which will consider the key actions required to develop and refocus services around the Housing Options model to the prevention of homelessness. This process will be assisted by the use of peer review/support models, a Housing Options Toolkit and an awareness of local circumstances. It is for local authority partners to agree priorities, however it is envisaged that funding will be used for training and service development.

Homelessness

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been given to local authorities regarding the use of the Scottish Housing Options funding.

Alex Neil: Guidance appears on the Scottish Government’s homelessness website pages which explain how the fund is to be used. Funding will be distributed via "hubs" of local authorities working together to implement locally agreed priorities. This process is initiated via a series of regional seminars arranged in August and September hosted by local authorities which will explore the Housing Options approach, consider practice examples and produce an action plan for the "hub".

Homelessness

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in what ways the use of the Scottish Housing Options funding will be monitored.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Housing Options funding will be monitored by an evaluation process which will examine the benefits of implementing the Housing Options approach to the prevention of homelessness and how this impacts on progress towards the 2012 homelessness target. A full evaluation strategy is currently being developed.

Homelessness

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is tackling homelessness in Roxburgh and Berwickshire and when it expects everyone in the Scottish Borders to be adequately housed.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government remains committed to the target of ensuring that all unintentionally homeless households have the right to access settled accommodation by the end of 2012. At the last statistical count published in March 2010, it is evident that Scottish Borders Council still have some way to go to meet the national 2012 target on the abolition of the priority need test. However, the Scottish Government regularly meets with our partners in COSLA via the 2012 Joint Steering Group to discuss progress in this area, and to assist local authorities in achieving this target

  One of the key aims of the 2012 Joint Steering Group is to facilitate greater access to existing housing stock. In this context, a Scottish Government official met with officials of Scottish Borders Council in March 2010 to discuss how recently introduced legislation pertaining to greater access to the private rented sector could assist the council’s progress towards the target. Scottish Borders Council has also indicated that it intends to participate in our forthcoming regional seminars on the Housing Options approach to homeless prevention, another key aim of the steering group.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34165 by Alex Neil on 11 June 2010, whether any new applications to the Open Market Shared Equity Pilot will be allowed in 2010-11.

Alex Neil: Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) who administer Open Market Shared Equity Pilot (OMSEP) are currently processing all existing applications to the scheme and will shortly provide the Scottish Government with information on the number of people who wish to proceed with purchasing a home. We expect that we will be able to issue some new application forms under the extended OMSEP scheme in due course.

NHS Staff

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people appointed to a position in the NHS by the NHS Appointments Commission have declared a party political interest in each of the last two years.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS appointments in Scotland are made by Scottish ministers. During 2008 and 2009 Scottish ministers approved 53 appointments (28 in 2008, and 25 in 2009). Successful candidates, on taking up post, are asked to declare any party political interests. Ten of the candidates appointed in 2008 and 2009 declared a political interest (five in each year).

Regeneration

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it will contribute to the urban regeneration programme announced on 6 July 2010.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government will contribute £26 million to the £50 million JESSICA Holding Fund. The European Commission will contribute the remaining £24 million from the European Regional Development Fund – Priority 3 (Urban Regeneration) of the Lowland and Uplands Scotland Operational Programme.

Regeneration

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive from what budget heading will the funding come for the urban regeneration programme it announced on 6 July 2010.

Alex Neil: Scottish Government match funding for the JESSICA Holding Fund will feature under the Regeneration Programmes budget heading in future years.

Regeneration

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it anticipates will be contributed by public and private sector partners to the urban regeneration programme announced on 6 July 2010.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government anticipates significant public and private co-investment as part of the JESSICA regeneration programme.

  The European Investment Bank will look to make significant co-financing available, subject to their normal lending criteria. Big Lottery Fund are also looking at ways in which they can co-invest alongside the JESSICA Holding Fund, to help secure maximum benefit for local communities. We also expect Urban Development Funds to lever in private co-investment finance from banks or other institutional investors.

Regeneration

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what interest rate will be charged by the European Investment Bank on funds provided for the urban regeneration programme announced on 6 July 2010.

Alex Neil: It is not possible to determine interest rates relating to the JESSICA programme at this stage. Interest rates will be determined by Urban Development Fund managers, and these have not yet been procured. Specifying a target rate of return from the outset is not seen as appropriate, as it could constrain the discretion of the European Investment Bank or Urban Development Funds.

Regeneration

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale will be for repayment of loans from the European Investment Bank on funds provided for the urban regeneration programme announced on 6 July 2010.

Alex Neil: It is not possible to specify repayment timescales until Urban Development Funds are established, and a pipeline of projects has been identified. Decisions on these issues will be taken by the European Investment Bank, in conjunction with the JESSICA Investment Board and Urban Development Fund managers.

Regeneration

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which areas of the country will benefit from the urban regeneration programme announced on 6 July 2010.

Alex Neil: Projects in 13 areas of the country are eligible for investment from the JESSICA regeneration programme. Eligible areas are Clackmannanshire, Dundee, East Ayrshire, Edinburgh, Fife, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

Regeneration

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for areas being allowed to participate in the urban regeneration programme announced on 6 July 2010.

Alex Neil: The JESSICA (Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas) programme is part-funded through Priority 3 (Urban Regeneration) of the Lowlands and Uplands Scotland ERDF Programme and will operate in the 13 local authority areas targeted in that Priority.

  Eligibility is limited to the 10 local authority areas with the highest share of population in the 15% most deprived data-zones, as measured by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, and the seven areas with the highest concentration of individuals in the NEET (not in education, employment and training) category. There is some overlap, resulting in 13 targeted areas. These areas account for approximately 60% of the region’s population.

Translation and Interpreting Services

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-30559 by Alex Neil on 22 January 2010, what further consideration it has given to how best to improve the quality and standards of interpretation services.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action the Translating, Interpreting and Communication Support Group has taken to improve the standards of translation and interpreting services and how it will evaluate progress.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government facilitated an event in June for stakeholders to discuss how translation and interpretation services might be improved across the public sector. Partners are now working collectively to look at the suggestions and how we may work together to improve the quality and standards of interpretation services.